


The Journey

by RainbowDrop



Series: The Alternian War [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Sburb/Sgrub Sessions, Alternia-Focused, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, M/M, POV Alternating, POV Original Female Character, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-02 16:03:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4066084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowDrop/pseuds/RainbowDrop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if the Sgrub session never happened? What if the game was stopped before it could even start? What if it was all the fault of some poor, confused girl who fell from the sky? This is the story of Lucy and how her very existence brought about an entirely different world altering event. The Alternian war. Because, as they say, history has a way of repeating itself. -HIATUS-</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Two Moons

My eyes open to blinding sunlight. With a gasp I covered my face, shielding myself from the violent rays. The sudden movement made me seethe in agony. It felt as if my entire body had been burnt to a crisp.

What happened? My head... It feels like I was hit by a bus... What is this? Sand? Where am I? I can't... Remember...

I felt sore as I lay curled on the blistering sand surrounding me. Every move I made brought about a fresh wave of pain. It almost felt as if my very muscles were on fire, scorching hot and tight in this battered body of mine. I could feel every heart beat pounding beneath my ribs as I fought for breath. 

Very slowly, I managed to roll myself off of my back. The fine grains of sand felt like razors as I shifted against them. I winced. What kind of place was this?

I craned my neck to look around. Nothing but what appeared to be miles and miles of sand lay in every direction. I groaned at the thought and a frown plastered across my face. My situation definitely wasn't looking any brighter at this rate.

I squinted up to the bright sky and shuddered slightly. The sky shone a deep blue, deeper than I've ever seen before. Behind me I could feel the sun beating down on my back. Sweat coated my body and I breathed heavily. This heat was killing me.

With as much force as I could muster I brought myself to my feet. It seemed almost immediate that my head began to spin. I saw the world around me tilt and my knees buckled, sending me crashing back first onto the ground below. My legs just couldn't handle the sudden pressure.

Out of breath, I forced myself onto my side, desperately trying to pull air into my lungs. Small white lights danced before my eyes as I choked in vain. With a particularly loud hack into my palm I managed to catch my breath.

I sat up slowly and wiped the blood from my mouth. It took everything I had to steady myself as my vision wobbled. My throat felt tight and before I knew it I was on all fours, heaving onto the ground in front of me. Red splattered the sand in a matter of seconds and the smell of iron filled my nose.

Bracing myself, I slowly brought myself upright once more. Again the world seemed to swim before me. I breathed deeply to calm down, doing my best to keep my balance. The dry air burned my throat and brought me back to my senses.

After blinking a few times everything seemed to stay put and I gave a weary smile. At least now I could stand. Maybe now I could try finding my way out of this sweltering wasteland. Now I just needed to focus.

I held a shaky hand in front of my face and clenched my fist. I needed to calm down and figure out what was going on. What had been going on before this? What had I been doing? 

I closed my eyes and tried to think back. A painful jolt zapped through my system as I tried to remember, drawing a sharp cry from my chapped lips. I buried my head in my hands and bared my teeth. I couldn't remember. All there was was pain.

What was I going to do?

I stood in eerie silence for what seemed like hours. My mind could only draw a blank. No matter how hard I tried, any attempt to retrieve my memory was only met with pain. I rubbed my face vigorously and tried to shake myself of whatever it was weighing down my thoughts. I had been doing something. Something that must've been very important... But what was it?

A low, quiet groan broke my train of thought and I peeked over my hands. My eyes shifted, looking through the hazy desert. Another moan cut through the silence. I stumbled a little as I turned in all directions. My heart felt as if it was about to beat right out of my chest. Where was that sound coming from?

Then, over in the distance, I spotted it. Something was moving towards me from atop one of the far sand dunes. The sun had begun to set behind the hill, casting a lengthy shadow of the strange figure long across the sand. It almost looked human. Whoever it was seemed to be hunched over, limping forward over the sand in a jerky manner. My fear vanished in an instant. This might be my chance! I had to get their attention! Nothing in my fried and frazzled mind could think of a better plan.

"Hey! Over here!! Can you see me?!" I called with a hoarse voice, waving my arms the best I could over my head. I winced as my muscles twanged from the effort. The dizziness in my head worsened with the sudden action so I abandoned the technique rather early.

No response. Maybe they were hurt just as much as I was. After all, I could've sworn I had heard a moan of pain come from their direction. With this blasted heat and stale air it wouldn't surprise me. I was ready to believe anything at this point.

I decided if they wouldn't come to me then I would go to them. Even if it did hurt to cross this stinging sand prison so be it. Greater numbers meant a greater chance of survival, or so I hoped. I wasn't about to let this bit of good luck pass me by. 

"I'm coming over to you!" I yelled after them. With heavy feet I began my trek forward. My eyes stayed locked onto the blurry figure on the hill. It was my only method to help keep my balance steady and the dizziness at bay. As I looked onward though something seemed off about the mysterious stranger. They almost seemed.... Unnatural.

Suddenly a second shadow met the first and my features wavered. I was starting to feel uneasy and I didn't know why. Within seconds my eyes widened as yet another figure appeared behind the others. Then another... and another. It looked as if the mob was growing exponentially. There seemed to be hundreds of them crawling out from behind the hill at an alarming rate.

A look of pure terror melded to my face as the realization struck me. I took an uneasy step back. These things were not human. They were not going to help me. As their faces locked onto mine I took another step back. The mass of bodies had began sprinting towards me and when a fresh breeze blew across my face I nearly dropped to the ground in disgust.

Horrible, putrid and rotting, the stench coated my senses. I choked and stumbled back almost a foot. Only one thought occupied my fear addled mind. I had to get out of here. I needed to run. 

Wrenching my legs from the spot I lurched backwards, turning my back to the creatures. In a rapid burst of adrenaline I broke out into a run as quickly as I could. It took every ounce of control I possessed to keep myself from tripping over my own feet. The sound of moaning only continued behind me, slowly growing louder and louder with each step. My heart raced as I pushed myself forward. I had to get away. Had to keep moving.

Fire seemed to be eating at my legs the faster I moved them. My feet felt bloody and charred with each pounding step. Every breath I took threatened to choke my insides. There was nothing I could do but fight back the tears and push through it.

No matter how fast I moved the decaying odor only grew in strength. They were getting closer, and my death it seemed, must be trailing right behind.

Suddenly before me something caught my eye. A castle of some sort? Before me stood two large pole looking structures with large flags flowing from them. For some reason I knew I needed to reach this building. This building meant survival. With the pounding footsteps growing louder behind me, however, my hope started to dwindle. I really was going to die.

The fear was all too real. There was no way I was going to make it in time. No way. I could feel my legs starting to slow, aching from fatigue. My energy was running out fast and I could feel a cramp raging in my side. It hurt so badly. Everything hurt. Why was this happening to me?

In an error of judgement I turned my head to look behind me. No more than twenty feet away I saw them. They were even worse up close. Rotting grey flesh clung to their bodies by nothing more than strands of muscle, oozing different colors from their festering wounds. Their milky white eyes stared me down, lidless and dead looking. Outstretched hands revealed sharp claws protruding from each finger. The sight was too much and with a gasp I let out an ear-piercing scream.

My legs locked from the fear and I stumbled forward. Tripping over my own feet I was met with a face full of hard sand as I came crashing down. I struggled desperately trying to right myself. I needed to get back up. I couldn't let myself die now. Not now.

Right before I managed to escape, something rough and slimy grasped my ankle and pulled me straight back down. I shrieked and clawed at the sand in vain. My body was being pulled back. I was caught.

I rolled onto my back, flailing in a panic, only to find myself face to face with the hoard I had been trying to outrun. My heart leapt into my throat and I screamed. I started kicking wildly, trying to get free. It seemed their clammy grasp was unbreakable. 

In a twist of fate my foot managed to make contact with one of their heads. With a sickening crunch I sent it flying into the swarm before me. I was released instantly and quickly scrambled backwards to avoid the toppling body of the -hopefully- dead monster.

With a new burst of energy I drug myself back to my feet and set into a sprint. I narrowly avoided the monsters closing in on me and urged myself to go faster. My chest ached from the speed of my legs and the pounding of my heart. Every atom inside of me screamed for me to stop. I couldn't stop though, I was so close. My goal was right before my eyes and I sped onward. The castle almost seemed to glow before me, mirroring my hope.

But it wasn't glowing. In fact, if anything the world seemed to be growing darker. Even the temperature started to decelerate faster than I ever could've imagined possible. It sent a shiver down my spine. The air felt like ice.

Within seconds of this new darkness spreading across the land a chorus of terrible screams erupted from behind me. A body fell against my back, knocking me onto the ground in a heap. I squirmed and wriggled, trying to get out from under the creature now thrashing above me. Shouts and screams filled the air as one by one each of the monsters fell to the ground in unison. They all appeared to be in terrible pain.

What was left of my clothes felt soaked as the body above me literally started falling apart. Its flesh dropped down from its screaming face, melting and evaporating up into the now blackening sky. All around me the other creatures seemed to do the same. Chunks of gore falling from their bodies only to melt right into the ground itself. Bones turning to dust and sparkling in the chilling breeze. Organs and various colored bodily fluids seeped out of open gashes and gaping holes. It looked as if they were being boiled alive.

I could only stare as the bodies before me evaporated one by one, sizzling to a pulp and then disappearing into the night. The deathly stench seemed to rise and disappear as well. The very existence of these creatures seemed to be fading away with the ever fading light. With a wide eyed gaze I followed the mist up into the black abysmal sky. 

I slumped onto my back, eyes staring blankly up into the dark expanse. I could hear my blood pounding in my ears as I breathed in shaky gasps. A sense of relief seemed to wash over me and I sighed slowly, collecting myself. My limbs felt like lead and my eyelids began to droop. There was no way I could get up again.

I had actually made it. I was alive. Whatever those things were they were gone now. I was safe. I was finally safe...

My breathing slowed and I lay still. An ache spread throughout my body as I lay there on the ground. Every muscle inside of me felt torn and I could feel a wetness seeping further into my clothes. I could feel the tattered shreds of my shirt clinging to my chest with every breath. It was cold, damp and everything felt heavy.

Up in the sky I could see thick swirling black clouds. My mind felt as foggy as the air as I stared blankly skyward. Was I really seeing what I think I was? My head must be farther gone then I thought. There was no way I was seeing a green and pink moon up in the sky.

Heavy breaths made their way through my system and a fresh wave of nausea hit me. I swallowed down the bile building in my throat with a groan. Any attempts I made to move failed me. It felt almost as if I was sinking farther into the sand beneath me.

I felt so tired, so very tired. My heart slowed to a dull rhythm as I sighed. Every fear left my mind to be replaced by silence. I felt so relaxed so suddenly as I let myself drift in the peace. It almost felt as if I were floating... Yes floating. Even the pain was slowly leaving me as my mind faded into darkness. No more thoughts, no more pain, no more anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is only the first chapter of Part one in my Alternian War series. There will be three parts, each with their own specific part to play. And if you're lost after reading this first chapter that's completely fine, all questions will be answered as the story progresses. Though how soon for each I cannot tell. However, I hope this story is as fun to read as it was to write! Thank you for your time!


	2. A New Face

I slowly leaned out my window, breathing deeply from the cool night air. It was a night like any other out here in my little oasis. The moons shone brightly across the sandy dunes encircling my hive while gentle breezes here and there fluttered through the flags flowing freely from my walls. I sighed softly, my head resting on an open palm. Such a beautiful night indeed.

Nowhere near as beautiful as the day however. With its bright light warming the air and the lovely sport it brought every morning. I looked over to the lipstick sitting seemingly harmless on my desk and smiled. Yes hunting the undead beings that roamed these deserts sure was a lovely way to pass the time. It was a shame they only came out during the day light.

My gaze slowly drifted back out of the window and something rather strange caught my eye. Far down below, curled up on the sand, there lay a heap of some sort. I cocked my head and leaned out of my balcony further for a better look.

Down below, beyond my grassy plain, lay a troll amidst the sand. The small body below was covered head to toe in a brightly colored substance. It looked like blood. Bright red blood.

"Karkat!!"

My eyes grew in horror as I made the connection, my claws digging into the stone ledge. Had Karkat tried to come to my hive during the day? What on Alternia had he been doing outside in the first place and at such an hour? Had the drones tried to come for him again?! Oh goodness this was very bad!

Without waiting for a response I fled out of my room, nearly flying down the stairs. My think pan was going a mile a minute as it raced through all of the possible scenarios. Had someone discovered him in the Altus caves? That was impossible! He should've been completely safe! I had made sure if it! I just hoped beyond hope that he was still alive.

I burst through my front door in a panic and hurried towards the body slumped on the ground. The closer I got the stronger the smell of blood filled my senses. Oh Karkat please, please be alright. After all we've done to keep you safe please don't let it all have been for nought.

As my feet met sand I started to slow. Something didn't look right here. Nearing closer I realized with a sigh of relief that this troll was in fact NOT Karkat. Though now that I was as close as I was I wasn't at all sure who, or even what this strange being was. At least for now, however, my blood pusher could rest at ease. Karkat was still safe.

The troll, if I could even call it that, laying before me was much different than I was accustomed to seeing. Their skin wasn't nearly as dark as it should be. Through the sunburnt flesh I could see a peeling and somewhat pale shade coloring their body. It could barely even be called grey. This troll didn't even seem to possess claws of any kind either. The strangest thing of all is that I couldn't make out any sign of horns under their unruly black hair. Just what was this creature?

From the look of their body structure I could only assume that what I was observing was female. A female what though? Tentatively I reached a hand forward to brush the hair from her face for a better look. The heat that met my fingers made me recoil with surprise. It felt as if her skin was on fire.

A sense of urgency washed over me and I moved closer, rolling the girl onto her back. She didn't appear to be conscious. This wasn't good. It looked like she was suffering from a heat stroke. Just how long had she been out in the sunlight? It was a miracle that she was even still breathing, albeit as labored as it was.

I scanned over her blood stained clothing. It seemed to be torn in many places, barely hanging onto her limbs at all. Gashes and bruises laced her arms and legs. Her feet appeared to be particularly injured, almost like the soles had been sliced to shreds. She needed immediate care or she very well could die out here on the desert sand. Especially covered in such an unseemly blood color. With only a few choices to be made I sighed. It had to be done.

With a quick glance around to make sure no one was watching, I swiftly scooped up the poor girl into my arms. I was surprised that she was much lighter than I had anticipated and I stumbled a little. Her skin was insanely hot against mine, no normal troll should be this hot. Even Karkat had never felt this fiery to the touch. I needed to cool her down as quickly as possible.

As soon as I managed to carry her inside I brought her to my ablution trap. The first thing I needed to do before anything else was to get her temperature down. I lay her gently inside and turned the valve. Cold water immediately started rushing out and I grabbed a spare cloth from the counter. Running it under the water for a moment I quickly rung it out and began dabbing over her dry face. Why was she so dry? Even the blood was dry and flaking. She didn't seem to be sweating at all. 

I stuffed the liquid stopper into the drain. Now the water could fill the ablution trap while I went and procured some bandages and medicines for later. I had to do this quickly while I still had time.

As I came back into the room I noticed that the strange girl had still not awoken. I was starting to think she may be suffering from the long sleep as a side effect from heat stroke and this worried me greatly. Hopefully she would awaken when her body wasn't under so much pressure.

Turning off the water I took the few cloths I had managed to find and soaked them in the freezing water. It hadn't filled up very much, maybe halfway up her body at best. With rags in hand I began to slowly and carefully wipe the blood from her skin, gently removing the shredded bits of clothing as I moved along.

Considering the vast amount of damage done to the scraps of cloth attached to her figure it didn't take much effort to remove her from their confines. I promptly threw them into the waste receptacle and resumed my task. What greeted my eyes was far from shocking. Whoever this girl was she definitely was not a troll. Of this much I was now very much certain.

She appeared very mammalian to say the least. A small indent located on her stomach signaled the earlier presence of a feeding tube. She hadn't been hatched like the rest of us. It seemed this girl had in fact been birthed like some species of lusii all over Alternia. The nourishment buds protruding from her breasts confirmed this. And as for her lower region... Well I didn't really want to get into that. My only concern was that I had never once seen such a creature before. She looked so similar to myself and yet... So very different.

After pulling myself from my thoughts I continued with my work. It wasn't long before the water began to turn a sickly rust color and I was forced to drain and refill the trap. This process repeated itself many times as I slowly rinsed the girls body of blood. Only once she was completely devoid of filth did I decide to apply the cold cloths. Her temperature needed to come down. 

It was only after about twenty minutes of applying and reapplying the freezing cloths along her body that I noticed a significant change in her temperature. I placed a hand to her cheek softly. Yes it seemed she was out of the danger zone. A relieved sigh escaped me and I left to retrieve a towel.

Upon returning I nearly dropped what I was carrying in surprise. The girl was sitting with a dazed look plastered to her face. She was wavering dangerously and looked as if she was trying to stand. It didn't even look as if she were really all there in fact. As luck would have it I barely made it in time to catch her as she slipped in the shallow water. Without a second thought she clung to me, holding on for dear life.

"Must... Have to... Mistake... I need...." The girl seemed to be delirious and couldn't even form a proper sentence. In the back of my think pan I was relieved to hear words I could actually understand. This was definitely a positive.

Slowly I eased her down onto the floor. I gingerly wrapped her in the towel, keeping it loose as I held her close to me. 

"Shh, shh. It's alright, you're safe now. There is no need to speak anymore. Just calm yourself and everything will be alright dear." I whispered soothingly as I papped her back softly. A soft sigh reached my ears and I felt her weight press against me. It seemed as though she was unconscious once again.

Picking her up gently I brought her into my respite block. With no other place in sight I laid her atop a small pile of clothes I had situated earlier that morning. I winced slightly as I saw the blood stains begin to set in. It seemed I'd be spending a lot of time the next few days refilling my wardrobe.

I quickly grabbed the bandages and other medical necessities off of my desk. Having Karkat visit every now and then had prepared me for this moment. Accidents happened more often than I'd like to admit and I had to make sure I always had something handy in case of emergencies. Luckily I still had enough medicine left for a few more treatments. Hopefully I wouldn't need any more.

I popped open one of the creams and started liberally applying it all over her body. I could see her shudder at the sudden contact and eased up a little, not wanting to hurt her. It must have be so painful to have been out as long as she had been. With her body's condition as bad as it was there was no doubt.

As I worked I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander. Where had she even come from in the first place? And what was she? Not many creatures would openly venture into the sunlight. Especially not in this monster infested wasteland.

Once I had thoroughly coated her wounds I retrieved the bandages from my side. It only took a minute or two to securely wrap them around her. Feeling her forehead I sighed with relief. Her temperature was remaining stable. Now all there was left to do was put her into the sopor slime and wait. At least that would help her rest properly.

Just as I started to relax after such a fiasco I heard a chime from across the room. Someone must be trying to contact me. Who on Alternia would be trying to troll me so early in the night? I couldn't think of anyone who could possibly want to talk this early.

As soon I read the name on my Trollian page I did a facepalm x2 combo. Of course Vriska would be trolling me this early. It had completely slipped my think pan that we were supposed to be having a date later tonight. It pained me but I knew I had to cancel. With a quick glance back at the girl currently resting in my recuperacoon I sighed. Yes I definitely couldn't have anyone over today. With that thought in mind I reached for the keyboard.

\-- arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA] at 03:47 --

AG: Heeeeeeeey 8a8e :::;)  
AG: Just wanted to say I can't w8 for later!  
AG: This d8 is going to 8e gr8! I can just FEEL it!!!!!!!!  
GA: Hello Vriska Dear  
GA: Unfortunately Due To Unforeseeable Circumstances I Must Begrudgingly Request That The Previously Arranged Get Together We Discussed Refrained From Coming To Fruition  
GA: I Do So Hope That This Sudden Behest Of Mine Does Not Discompose You In A Manner That Might Cause A Laborious And Stressful Situation To Arise  
AG: ........  
AG: W8 are you canceling on me!  
AG: What could've possibly happened that'd be so important that you'd have to go and 8ail on me like this? ::::(  
GA: It Seems I Have Become Rather Indisposed As Of Late  
GA: And I Have No Desire To Coerce You Into A Night Occupied Solely By Mucus Expulsion  
GA: Among Other Highly Distasteful Activities  
AG: W8, you're sick? Oh man you have to let me come over then!  
AG: I could take care of you and all that junk. Wouldn't that 8e nice?  
AG: Come on.  
AG: Please?  
AG: Look I even used that stupid nice word like you've asked me to!  
GA: Yes And I Am Genuinely Appreciative Of This Gesture  
GA: But I Still Beseech You To Withhold Your Presence For The Time Being  
AG: ........  
AG: Fine.  
GA: At Least Until The Specific Time Arises That I Find Myself Healthy And Whole Once More  
GA: I Do Not Wish To Contaminate You  
AG: Alright. Fine. I Hope you Feel 8etter soon then.  
GA: I Am Sincerely Taken Aback At How Calmly You Are Coping With This  
GA: Are You Feeling Alright  
AG: Not really.  
AG: ........ I mean, yeah I guess I'll 8e fine. Its just we haven't gotten to see each other in such a long time and it's making me edgy.  
AG: I mean I've 8een trying to 8e 8etter, you know that. 8ut things like this, waving hope in front of my face like a treat to a starving 8ark8east, only to snatch it away at the last second........ It really sucks you know? ::::(  
AG: I mean I know you're sick and all, and I don't mean to 8e a 8itch, 8ut damn Kanaya.  
AG: This is so messed up.  
AG: Not that I 8lame you or anything. 8ecause I don't.  
GA: I Can Perceive The Significance Of Your Situation And I Really Am Truly Regretful That Things Must Be This Way  
GA: As Soon As I Am Feeling Well Again I Promise You That We Will Engage In That  
GA: Date  
GA: As You Call It  
AG: You Mean It????????  
AG: You 8etter not just 8e saying that to cheer me up 8ecause that would 8e so not cool.  
GA: I Assure You I Do Mean What I Conveyed To You  
GA: Now If You Will Please Pardon Me I Must Depart  
GA: My Recuperacoon Is How You Say  
GA: Requesting My Immediate Presence  
AG: Alright well you get plenty of rest 8a8e. I'll check on you again 8efore I go to sleep in the morning.  
AG: 8ye8ye <3  
GA: Goodbye Vriska Darling  
GA: <3

\-- arachnidsGrip [AG] has ceased trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA] at 04:10--

With a sigh I shut my husktop and proceeded over to my recuperacoon. I felt terrible for lying to my matesprit but I really had no other options. What else was I supposed to say? Was there really any peaceful way to get this situation across?

I glanced at the girl currently sleeping in the corner. No, I don't believe this predicament could be explained very easily. Vriska would definitely overreact and I didn't want to cause that upset again. She had been doing so well lately. There was no need to set her back over something so petty. Plus, there was always the possibility that she might kill the poor thing. She may be doing better but she was still far from perfect.

As my thoughts continued to dwell on my matesprit I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and my blood pusher speed up a little. Yes she may not be perfect but I was still very much flushed for her. I really needed to make up for tonight as soon as I could. For now though, it was back to work.

Now the current problem was what to do with the girl. I began to wonder when she might wake up. Did she have a name? Where was she from? Why did she come here? All of these questions filled my think pan once again as I stared unseeingly forward. The most crucial question of course kept resurfacing in my thoughts. What was I going to do with her when she did wake up?

After sitting motionless for a moment an idea came to me. The first thing I should do would be to give her something to wear. She would need something after all, having been sleeping in sopor slime the whole time in nothing but bandages. I would have left her in her own clothes had the situation not called for their removal. But, alas, it was unavoidable.

Unfortunately what with the circumstances being as they were I knew I couldn't make anything too complicated. I couldn't even get her measurements as it were. It seemed that a robe would have to suffice until after everything was settled. It should be enough until then anyway.

As I rifled through my fabrics I was slightly disappointed to say the least. All I could manage to find that was even remotely suitable were varying shades of green. With a sigh I conceded. I guess they would have to do.

The hours seemed to fly by as I worked, stitching pieces together and snipping others to size. After adding quite a few details and fixing it to my liking I wrapped it tightly around one of my hive-made mannequins. It may be a simple robe but the detail to the trim and belt were simply divine. The longer I looked at it however the more I realized there was something bothering me. Somehow it still looked a little plain to me and I couldn't place the reason.

As if a little light maker went off in my think pan an idea suddenly came to me. Of course, how had I missed such a fine little detail. I had almost forgotten to put a symbol on the front. That's when the realization hit me. I didn't even know if she had a symbol to call her own. Did her species, wherever they came from, even participate in this tradition?

I decided that to stay on the safe side of things -and because it would look so much better this way- that I would create a symbol for her. Nothing extravagant just a small little thing on the front left side. After a little bit of thought I decided the simplest thing to do would be to put something I knew no one else would have. Couldn't have her mistaken for anyone else could I? That would be very careless of myself.

After a little bit of alterations I finally finished it. Since I didn't know really anything about the girl the symbol I had decided on had literally just been that. The symbol for a female. Of course I had changed it a bit, moving the middle bar up so it rested beneath the now elongated circle. It wasn't much but it was something. The symbol was even in white, ignoring the standard blood color ruling. Couldn't exactly have her go parading that around for all to see. Not that she would be going anywhere anytime soon in the first place. Definitely not with those injuries.

Just as I was about to clean up my materials an ear piercing shriek broke me from my thoughts. In a flash I turned on my heels to face the perpetrator. It was to my great surprise, and slight horror to yet more stains getting all over my floor, that the girl I had rescued mere hours ago was standing, covered in slime and shaking in the corner. A large puddle lay just outside my recuperacoon and I could only imagine that she must've fallen out without my noticing. Now, however she was very much upright. Her wide eyes were trained on me with a look of terror cast over her features.

"W-who the hell are you??"

"Now please I must request that you attempt to pacify yourself, there is absolutely no need to-"

"I said who the hell are you?? Where am I?? What's going on??"

The girl looked absolutely horrified and I could think of nothing to calm her down. After all she was completely naked, save for the bandages, and clinging to the confines of the corner of my respite block. Obviously things must've looked a little strange to her.

"Please first try to calm down and I will attempt to answer your inquiries to the best of my abilities." I pleaded with her. After such a shock to her system getting this worked up could only be bad for her. The only response I got for my efforts seemed to be her huddling into my corner more. It looked as if she were trying to become part of the very wall itself.

"I assure you, you have nothing to fear. I do not wish to bring you any sort of physical or mental harm. My name is Kanaya Maryam. You are currently residing in my hive in the middle of the Mortifero Desert. Now the last question I'm having an incredibly difficult time figuring out and I do hope you will pardon my negligence of it entirely." I said very calmly and smoothly. "I must confess I was actually planning on asking you the same question. The only scrap of information I have obtained is by experience alone. After rescuing you from the harsh elements outside I have only been able to acquire so much knowledge. But I must ask, if you do not mind, what is your name?" Through my entire string of sentences I kept a very slow pace, slowly picking up and offering the robe I had newly finished to the trembling and obviously disoriented girl in the corner. With very shaky and quick hands she snatched the article from my grasp, her eyes never drifting from mine.

Very clumsily and uneasily, she slipped the robes over her bandaged body. Then, after a muttering of thanks her eyes shifted to the ground. She only seemed to close in on herself further. Finally with an almost pained expression she brought her face up to level with mine.

"My name.... My name is Lucy... I think" she said with what sounded like a slight uncertainty in her raspy voice. What a strange name. I had never heard anything like it before.

"You are not certain? Oh dear... Well if you may permit me to pry just a bit deeper, may I inquire as to where you are from? How did you get all the way out here?" 

".... I don't... Know..." She said, burying her face into her hands. It looked as if she might cry. " I-I can't remember... I can't remember anything.."

Oh this just got so much more complicated than it already was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on posting a chapter a week from now on, though I still have a few more already written. Check every Wednesday for a new one. If there isn't, then I apologize and ask that you try again in another week. Thank you for reading!


	3. A Spider in the Dark

Why couldn't I remember? What was wrong with me? My head hurt so badly that it felt like my skull was going to explode. Mortifero Desert? Where on Earth was that? Did that mean those things that chased me weren't just a dream?

"Dear are you sure you can not remember anything? Anything at all?" A voice clear as glass called before me. I had almost forgotten that there was someone else in the room with me. Someone indeed though, but what in the world were they?

Skin like stone, bright orange and green eyes, raven hair and pointed fangs. Oh and horns, of course, no scary creature would be complete without them. Tall, pointy, candy corn colored horns. They could probably pierce me as easily as if I were a stick of butter. What in the world was this thing?

"Hello? Are you still with me Lucy?"

I instinctively jerked back from the clawed hand waving in front of my face. A small squeak escaped me from the fright and I winced at the sudden pressure on my back. It didn't feel like I could possibly move any closer into the corner I had buried myself into. 

"Oh dear, I am terribly sorry. I did not mean to alarm you." She quickly withdrew her hand, an apologetic look on her face. Aside from the alien like appearance she didn't actually seem to be that frightening. I was just over reacting. Whoever this was had saved my life after all.

"N-no, I'm alright... Well, as alright as I can be anyway... Thank you for uh, thank you for saving me by the way." I spoke uneasily, my eyes darting anywhere but the face in front of me. Nervousness was settling into my system.

"Oh it was really no trouble at all. Of course, it was favorable circumstance that I found you at all. You were very fortunate to end up on the doorstep of my residence and not some other troll's." Kanaya said with a hint of relief in her voice.

"Troll?" I asked, looking up at her. Is that what she was? A troll?

She looked a little taken aback at my question, almost confused.

"Do you not know what a troll is?" She asked slowly. She seemed very perplexed by her own question.

"No.... Is that, um... Is that what you are?" I asked uneasily. I hoped it wasn't offensive to assume this. She gave a slow nod and looked at me quizzically.

"So it is safe to assume that you are not?" Kanaya asked, studying me.

"What? No of course not, I-" I started but stopped short. It was at that moment that I finally caught sight of my own hand. My eyes widened in horror and I gasped, my body rooted to the spot. No, no, no this was all wrong.

The skin between my bandages was unmistakably grey. I lifted my other hand to my face in panic. Grey. My breath caught in my throat as I looked down my robe. Every inch of my skin was grey.

I couldn't help but hyperventilate, sliding down the wall and onto the floor. As my hair curtained my face I let out a shriek. My hair had turned jet black. This couldn't be happening. It felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest

"M-mirror." I forced out "Please, I... I need to see myself." My head felt faint as I clutched at the foreign raven locks now stemming from my scalp. I was terrified of what I was about to see.

Kanaya looked bewildered but none the less fetched a small hand mirror quickly, handing it to me without a word. As I held it up to my face I nearly lost my grasp from the shock. My fears had been confirmed.

I was right. My entire face had turned a smokey grey. Even my eyes had muted to match the flesh, a dull silver surrounded by yellow-orange. The contrast was unnerving. With black hair to match I was completely unrecognizable to myself. I tentatively stroked my own cheek and my reflection did the same. So it was real.

The only thing I was relieved to notice was that my head was devoid of any horns. My teeth had even remained the same. Nothing pointy about me whatsoever. The shock of it all, however, didn't make this any more bearable. Horns or no horns I looked like a completely different species.

I swallowed hard and slowly set the mirror down, trying to control my breathing. My heart was already pounding against my ribs painfully and I could feel the adrenaline pumping through me. There was no need to pinch myself, the dull ache across my body from my wounds let me know this was indeed not a dream. This was real. This was happening.

"I'm... Not human..." I said quietly between shaky breaths.

"Human? I'm afraid I have not the slightest inclination as to what that is." said Kanaya "Is there a large populous of that species where you hail from?"

I looked at her as if she was crazy. She didn't know what a human was? This had to be a joke.

"You're kidding right? Not know what a... You're serious?" I asked in disbelief. Of course, here I was standing in the presence of a troll supposedly on some other world named Alternia. My entire genetic makeup had been altered and I was about ninety percent positive I had been chased by zombies out in the desert. Apparently anything was possible at this point. That or I had finally gone insane.

I slumped back and hissed a bit, my back still stinging against the wall. This was all too much to take at once. How could this have happened?

"Where did you say we were?" I sighed, looking up to Kanaya. "Like I mean where exactly? What is this place...? Trolls? Zombies? It doesn't make any sense!" I felt helpless.

A soft expression melted her features. She looked like she was thinking very hard about something. Then, after a moment or two, I saw her settle onto the floor in front of me, smoothing down her skirt. I found it hard to maintain eye contact. She was, after all, still highly intimidating. 

"I know that this situation must be extraordinarily disquieting for you," she said in a soft voice, leaning forward slowly "but I assure you I will do whatever is in my power to assist you in any way that I can. You are more than welcome to stay here in my hive, in fact I insist upon it. And perhaps in time we can uncover whatever it is that has led you to be in this unfortunate predicament." A small smile pulled at her lips. Even with her fangs it was a very reassuring smile. I felt a gentle pat as she lay her hand on mine, though it was cold to the touch. Looks really can be deceiving it seemed.

"You want me to stay here?" I asked. "Are you sure?"

"Of course! It is much too dangerous for you to go out there, as uneducated and vulnerable as you are in your current state. I do not mean to offend you in any way of course but I certainly can not imagine you lasting another moment out there on your own. I must admit I was immensely shocked to find you in the first place. Especially with well, pardon my brashness, but with blood like yours you were very fortunate not to have already been culled."

"Wait what do you mean? Culled?And what's wrong with my blood? I'm not sick or something am I?" I asked, slightly worried. 

"Oh my, this is much worse than I thought. Things must be so different in your culture." She said, bringing a finger to her lip thoughtfully. "Alright well then I guess the most obvious course of action is to explain the essentials.

"So then, to begin I would like to discern why you felt surprise when I mentioned your blood. I believe that should have been an obvious, though perhaps a tad crude, statement. What about it confused you?" She finished. Her expression was full of curiosity. Was I really supposed to already know this? What was I missing?

"Well why would I be, uh, 'culled' or whatever for my blood? What's wrong with my blood?" I asked.

"This is quite a sensitive subject, so I do hope you will pardon me if I become rather blunt, but well... You have the same blood color as a dear friend of mine. This is only the second time I can say I have ever witnessed such an oddity but it is in no way something to be celebrated. It would definitely be in your best interests not to let anyone find out you have such a um, ahem, bright shade of red." Kanaya said, looking rather uncomfortable.

"Wait what do you mean? Bright shade? You're not making any sense. Are you trying to say that there are other shades of blood?" I asked in surprise.

"Oh not just shades dear, colors. I must say I'm rather taken aback that you did not know. Does this mean you are not familiar with the hemospectrum?" She questioned.

"The what?" I asked, feeling more stupid by the second. Kanaya sighed and stood up slowly, offering her hand as I sat still on the cold floor. After a moment I clasped my hand in hers and let her help me stand. My head throbbed for a second and I held my hand to my temple.

"Follow me please, Lucy." said Kanaya, slowly helping me navigate through her room.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Downstairs. It seems I am going to need to teach you much more than I presumed." She answered, leading me out of the room. I felt a long lecture coming on.

Over the next week or so I learned almost all there was to know about these strange beings called trolls. I knew I didn't belong here and yet I slowly found myself adjusting more and more to my new life. It wasn't that hard. Well, other than the whole 'hiding my very existence lest I be murdered by one of the planets inhabitants' bit. 

The days were much longer on Alternia than they were back on Earth. Especially in the dim seasons where I found myself now. Though I myself wouldn't exactly call it dim. Not with that monster of a sun in the sky anyway. Of course that just might be because I was in the middle of a desert. Luckily I had been taught early on by Kanaya to never look at the sun directly. As it turns out one glance could leave you blind as a bat. I was so thankful that I hadn't back then. That could've been bad.

It seemed that even though the sun here on Alternia was as blisteringly hot as it were, my wounds weren't nearly as bad as I had previously thought. Within the week my burns had lessened to pink patches splattered across my skin. I didn't even need to wear my bandages anymore. This new body of mine seemed to heal much faster than I was used to.

That was about as good as it got for me unfortunately. According to a discussion I had earlier with Kanaya, I was what was known as a mutant. I didn't understand completely but I knew that if anyone learned this trait about myself I would surely wind up dead. It was ridiculous to me that such a thing existed but apparently the higher your blood color was, the better you were. I had never felt so discriminated against in my life.

Because I couldn't go outside very often, not that I wanted to anytime soon, I found myself alone some days when Kanaya decided to go out. I didn't really mind of course. It's not like I was in a rush to go back out there with those monsters. Kanaya was much braver than I.

It turns out that she took a lot of pleasure hunting the undead beings that roamed during the daylight hours. At least I could breathe easy with her around. I had become quite dependent on her for my safety. In fact, she almost seemed to act like a mother to me the more I thought about it. She wasn't even the least bit scary anymore. Being around her so often had numbed me to our differences and I began to enjoy her company immensely. I felt welcome. I felt safe.

That was until one fateful day where I found myself being shoved into a closet, words of apology said hastily as the door was slammed behind me. I stumbled in the darkness and grabbed for the wall in confusion. I didn't understand what was going on. One minute everything's fine and the next I found myself cramped into a closet.

As I stood there I heard a strange voice. Slowly, I leaned against the door and pressed my ear to the wood. I could hear a conversation coming from the other side. There was someone else in the house.

"Oh goodness, Vriska dear I wasn't expecting you for quite a few more days." I heard Kanaya say, sounding a bit rattled. A small forced cough followed her statement.

Vriska? Who was that? Whoever they were they must not be very good if Kanaya had to hide me like this.

"Well yeah, duh. I wanted to surprise you! Aren't I the greatest?" I heard the strange Vriska troll say followed by a laugh. "I even brought you some food and junk. I thought it would help make you feel better. But, you know, you don't even look all that bad. You sure you're sick?"

"Oh, yes well, honestly I was planning on trolling you later to tell you I was feeling better." said Kanaya, clearing her throat. "I was just a tad preoccupied at the moment so um I was going to wait until a more appropriate time."

"Oh wow I wish you would've told me, I wouldn't have had to lug all this crap with me then." said Vriska as I heard a particularly loud thump. She must have dropped whatever it was she had brought with her. It sounded heavy.

A small rumble shook the closet I was in and I felt something small hit my shoulder. With it so dark I couldn't see what had fallen on me and I didn't pay it much thought. It was when I felt something scuttle down my back that I really had a problem.

Without thinking, I let out a loud shriek and flailed on the spot. I crashed into the back wall in a panic, clothes twisting around me. Hangers started littering the floor and I found myself tripping over them in disarray. I felt my face slam against the door as I plunged down. 

"What the fuck was that?"

Oh shit this was bad. I couldn't move.

"O-oh, that? I, well.. Okay please don't be alarmed Vriska dear but- wait no!"

Bright light met my eyes as the door before me was literally ripped off of its hinges with a loud snap. There stood a troll so I could only assume as Vriska, and boy did she look furious.

"Vriska, please! I can explain, this isn't-"

"SHUT UP!"

I felt myself get snatched up into the air by the throat and gasped for breath. I had to grab at the hand that held me to try to stop myself from choking. Their grip was insanely strong. I could see little lights already popping up all over the place. A fist was pulling back, aimed at my face.

Suddenly I found myself crashing to the ground. I coughed and hacked, barely able to look up at the perpetrator. Before me I saw Kanaya, desperately grabbing Vriska's wrists. She had saved me.

"Vriska, please listen to me! This is not what you're thinking at all! I promise you that! You know I would never-"

But her words were cut short as Vriska ripped her arms free, socking her in the face. I could only stare in horror at what was unfolding before me. My entire body was frozen with fear. This girl was going to kill us.

As my eyes darted to Kanaya laying on the floor I could see a puddle forming. Green blood was flowing freely from her nose. I heard her cough as she went to sit, clutching at her face.

"You're a liar! A filthy lie lying liar!! I trusted you! I thought we were supposed to be matesprits!!" Vriska shouted, I could see her seething with rage. Her eyes locked on mine and her lip curled, bearing her fangs. My entire body trembled under her gaze. Those eyes were unnerving.

"Vriska... Don't do this.."

I turned to see Kanaya reaching forward slightly. A pained expression was on her face.

Vriska looked at her furiously before stepping forward. Instead of harming her further however, she merely kicked the backpack resting on the floor. Over and over she stomped on it, crushing it beneath a silver foot. Eventually there was nothing left but a pile of garbage, ripped and tattered with strange colors and foods oozing from the tears.

The entire room went quiet. Not a sound could be heard other than the occasional strained breath from beside me. Then in one swift motion Vriska looked up from the ground and walked to the doorway, not looking back. I heard the door slam shut and knew that she was gone.

We stayed in silence for what seemed like hours. The only noise to break the stale air was one of sadness as Kanaya cried beside me. I had ruined everything.


End file.
